Augmented reality labelers

ABSTRACT

In example implementations, an augmented reality (AR) labeler is provided. The AR labeler includes a camera, a processor, a graphical user interface (GUI), and a display. The camera is to capture an image of an object. The processor is communicatively coupled to the camera to receive the image and determine object information. The GUI is communicatively coupled to the processor to receive print parameters. The display is communicatively coupled to the processor to display an AR image of the object with the print parameters, wherein the print parameters are modified in the AR image based on the object information.

BACKGROUND

Labels are used in a variety of different industries and applications.Labels can be created on a print medium such as a paper, a sticker, andthe like. Labels for objects may be designed offline based on a user'sperception of the object. The label may provide information such ascontents of a container, warning signs, identification information for aproduct packaging, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of an augmented reality (AR)labeler system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an AR labeler of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an example method for generating a label on anAR image of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example non-transitory computer readablestorage medium storing instructions executed by a processor of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples described herein provide an augmented reality (AR) labeler. Asdiscussed above, labels can be created to provide information. Thelabels may be created on a print medium and designed offline based on auser's perception of the object.

However, some objects may be curved (e.g., cylinders) or have irregularsurfaces (e.g., bumps, lines, textured surfaces, and the like). As aresult, when the label is created offline and applied to the object, thelabel may not appear as intended. For example, a label printed on arectangular print medium may appear distorted when applied onto acylindrical drum. The user may also want to create a label withfeatures, e.g., font size, font color, background color, and the like,that complement the object being labeled, which may be difficult whenthe label is created separately from the object.

Examples herein provide an AR labeler that provides a print preview of alabel on an AR image. The AR image may account for object informationincluding the dimensions of the object, the surface characteristics, andthe like. Thus, a user may create a label and the AR image may show thelabel as it would appear on the object based on the object information.Thus, when the label information is generated and printed, the labelwill appear on the object as it appeared in the AR image.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example augmented reality (AR)labeler system 100 of the present disclosure. In one example, the system100 may include a device 102 and a printer 118. The device 102 may be anelectronic device with a camera and a display, such as a smartphone, atablet computer, and the like.

In one example, the device 102 may capture an image of an object 106that is to receive a printed text or a label. Although the object 106 isillustrated as being a cylinder, it should be noted that the object 106may have any shape. For example, the object 106 may be a sphere, a cube,a stack of materials, and the like.

The image of the object 106 may be displayed on a display 104 of thedevice 102. For example, the device 102 may provide an AR image 108 thatshows what a label 110 may look like on the object 106. The label 110may include alphanumeric text, graphical images, or a combination ofalphanumeric text and graphical images.

In one example, the image may be a live feed of the object 106 in the ARimage 108. For example, a camera of the device 102 may be turned on tocapture a video image of the object 106. In one example, the image maybe a photograph of the object 106 in the AR image 108.

In one example, the device 102 may analyze the image of the object 106to identify object information associated with the object 106. In oneexample, the object information may include the dimensions of theobject. For example, based on the field of view of the camera and anestimated distance from the object 106 using the camera's focusingmechanism, the device 102 may estimate the dimensions of the object. Inanother example, the camera may be a three dimensional (3D) camera thatcan be used to estimate the dimensions of the object 106.

In one example, the object information may include surface properties ofa surface 112 of the object 106. For example, when a 3D camera is usedto capture an image of the object 106, the surface properties mayinclude a shape of the surface 112, a texture of the surface 112, acolor of the surface 112, and the like. In one example, if the naturallight on the object 106 is too low, a flash 114 of the device 102 may beenabled to provide additional light. The additional light may ensurethat the image of the object 106 that is captured can be accuratelyanalyzed by the device 102 to obtain the object information.

In one example, the label 110 displayed in the AR image 108 of theobject 106 may be modified based on the object information. For example,the label 110 may be modified such that the label 110 appears correctlyor without distortion due to some of the object information of theobject 106. For example, rather than displaying the label 110 as aperfect rectangle, the label 108 may be modified to be slightlydistorted such that the label 110 appears to wrap around the object 106in the AR image 108. As a result, the user may see the label 110 as itwould appear on the object 106 before the label 110 is printed.

In one example, the modifications may include visual changes to label110. In one example, certain portions of the label 110 may be darkenedor lightened to compensate for the texture on the surface 112 of theobject 106. In another example, the user may select a background imageprinted on the label to match a portion of the texture on the surface112 that the label may cover (as captured by the camera). As a result,the label as a whole may blend in better with the surface 112 of theobject 106. In another example, when the label is printed directly ontothe surface 112 of the object 106, the modifications may includedispensing more or less ink onto different portions of the surface 112of the object 106. For example, more roughly textured surfaces mayabsorb more ink than smooth surfaces.

In another example, the color of the label 110 may be modified to allowthe label 110 to be more easily read based on the color of the object106. For example, if the object information indicates that the object106 has a light color, or a light color on a portion of the surface 112that the label 110 may be located, then the device 102 may change thecolor of the label 110 to a darker color.

It should be noted that the label 110 may be modified automatically bythe device 102. In other words, the user does not provide themodifications. The user may provide the desired text and appearance ofthe text, but the user does not alter the label 110 to correct adistortive effect of the label 110 on the object 106.

Rather, the device 102 may analyze the images of the object 106 toobtain the object information. Based on a location of the label 110provided in the AR image 108 and the object information, the device 102may automatically make modifications such that the label 110 does notappear distorted at the location of the surface 112 associated with theobtained object information.

In one example, the label 110 may be alphanumeric text that is to beprinted, a graphical image, or a combination of alphanumeric text andgraphical images. In other words, rather than printing text onto anadhesive label that can be applied to the surface 112 of the object 106,the text may be directly printed onto the surface 112 of the object 106.

In one example, the display 104 may provide a menu or a graphical userinterface (GUI) to allow the user to enter the alphanumeric text for thelabel 110. The alphanumeric text may be shown on the label 110 on the ARimage 108 of the object 106 as the text is entered. The menu or GUI maybe used to modify the text in the AR image 108. For example, the font,the size of the text, the colors of the text, a transparency of thetext, and the like may be modified by a menu provided in the display104. In addition, the display 104 may be a touch screen that allows theuser to use touch gestures to change a size of the label 110, rotate thelabel 110, move the label 110, and the like.

In one example after the label 110 is created and modified based on theobject information of the object 106, the device 102 may send printparameters to the printer 118. For example, the device 102 may include acommunication interface 116 to establish a communication path to theprinter 118. The communication interface 116 may be a wired or wirelesscommunication interface.

The print parameters may include the text that was received,modifications made to the text based on the object information, alocation of the text on the object 106, and the like. Notably, the printparameters do not include background images around the object 106 (e.g.,items around the object 106, images of the environment or room that theobject 106 is located in, and the like). Rather, the print parametersare associated with the label 110, and possibly portions of the object106, that was created in the AR image 108 of the object 106.

The printer 118 may then print a label 120. The label 120 may be appliedto the surface 112 of the object 106 and appear on the object 106 as thelabel 110 appeared in the AR image 108 of the object 106. Thus, thedevice 102 may provide a “print preview” of the label 110 in the ARimage 108 as it would appear on the object 106.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the device 102. The device 102 mayinclude a processor 202. The processor 202 may be communicativelycoupled to a camera 204 and a display 206. The camera 204 may be a red,green, blue (RGB) camera, a 3D camera, and the like. The camera 204 maycapture a live view or a photograph of the object 106. The camera 204may include the flash 114 to provide additional light when the object106 is in a low light environment.

The images captured by the camera 204 may be transmitted to theprocessor 202 for analysis. The processor 202 may analyze the images ofthe object 106 to obtain object information or surface properties of thesurface of the object, as described above. As noted above, the objectinformation may include dimensions of the object 106, surface propertiesof the object 106, and the like. The images of the object 106 may beshown in the display 206 as an AR image. In other words, the AR imagemay be a mix of real images (e.g., the images of the object 106) andcomputer generated images (e.g., a preview of a label shown on the realobject 106).

The display 206 may include a GUI 208 to provide a menu and/or a touchinterface to provide print parameters 210. The print parameters 210 mayinclude text, a font, a text size, a text color, and the like, that areprovided via the GUI 208 in the display 206. The GUI 208 may also beused to change a size of the print parameters, an orientation of theprint parameters, a location of the print parameters, and the like.

In one example, based on the print parameters 210 and the objectinformation obtained from the analysis of the images of the object 106,the processor 202 may automatically modify the print parameters 210. Forexample, the print parameters 210 may include having the text all havingthe same font and font size aligned in a perfect line. However, due tothe surface properties of the object 106, the print parameters 210 maybe modified.

For example, the processor 202 may determine that the location of thetext on the object 106 is a curved surface. The processor 202 may changethe size of the font for letters on the ends of the label to compensatefor the curved surface. In another example, the processor 202 may adddistortion to the dimensions of some letters to compensate for thecurvature of the surface 112 of the object 106.

In one example, the processor 202 may modify the print parameters 210automatically to select a size of the alphanumeric text based on thedimensions of the object 106. In one example, the processor 202 maymodify the print parameters 210 automatically to select a size of theprint medium to print the label based on the dimensions of the object106.

After the print parameters 210 are modified, the modified printparameters 210 may be sent to a printer for printing. For example, thedevice 102 may include the communication interface 116 to send themodified print parameters 210 to the printer 118.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 300 forgenerating a label on an AR image of the present disclosure. In oneexample, the method 300 may be performed by the device 102, or theapparatus 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below.

At block 302, the method 300 begins. At block 304, the method 300receives data to be printed on an object, wherein the data is receivedon a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays an augmented reality(AR) image of the object with the data. For example, a device with acamera (e.g., a cellphone, a tablet computer, and the like) may capturean image of the object. The image may be a live video of the object or adigital photograph of the object.

The object may be displayed in the AR image on the display of thedevice. The AR image may include real images (e.g., the object) andcomputer generated images (e.g., the computer generated data and how thedata may look on the object when printed on the object). The data may bealphanumeric text, images, ornamentations, and the like, selected by auser via the GUI, that is to be printed on the object.

In one example, the GUI may provide a menu of options to allow the userto adjust a size of the text, edit the text, select a font of the text,select a design of the text, select a color of the text, a transparencyof the text, and the like. The GUI may also allow the user to select abackground color, a pattern or image for the label, an ornamentationsuch as a frame, and the like. The GUI may allow the data to be modifiedusing finger gestures on the touch screen such as pinching two fingersto make the text smaller, spreading the two fingers to make the datalarger, turning the data with two fingers to rotate the data, and thelike.

At block 306, the method 300 modifies the data based on objectinformation of the object. In one example, the object may be analyzed toobtain object information. The object information may include estimateddimensions of the object, a shape of a surface of the object, a textureof the object, a color of the object, and the like. Based on the objectinformation, the data may be modified automatically by the device. Inother words, the modification may not be user initiated, but ratherperformed by the device based on the object information.

For example, if the object has a curved surface, the data, such as thetext or images, may be slightly distorted such that it appears straightaround the curved surface. It should be noted that other examples ofmodifying the data may be evident and within the scope of the presentapplication.

At block 308, the method 300 displays a label that includes the datathat is modified on the object within the augmented reality image. Thedata may include the text and/or any selected images, ornamentations,and the like, selected by the user. The label that is modified is shownon the object as it would appear in reality. As a result, the user maysee how the data would look on the object before the label is printed.The AR image provides a print preview of the data on the actual objectbefore the label is printed.

In one example, after the user confirms the modifications to the dataand is satisfied with how the data appears on the object, the data withthe modifications may be sent to a printer. The printer may print thelabel with the modified data such that when the label with the modifieddata is applied to the object, the data may appear on the object asshown in the AR image. At block 310, the method 300 ends.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an apparatus 400. In one example, theapparatus 400 may be the device 102. In one example, the apparatus 400may include a processor 402 and a non-transitory computer readablestorage medium 404. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium404 may include instructions 406, 408, 410, and 412 that, when executedby the processor 402, cause the processor 402 to perform variousfunctions.

In one example, the instructions 406 may include instructions to capturean image of an object. The instructions 408 may include instructions toidentify object information of the object based on the image. Theinstructions 410 may include instructions to receive label parameters.The instructions 412 may include instructions to display an augmentedreality (AR) image of the object with the label parameters, wherein thelabel parameters are modified in the AR image based on the objectinformation.

It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined intomany other different systems or applications. Various presentlyunforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, orimprovements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in theart which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

1. An augmented reality (AR) labeler, comprising: a camera to capture animage of an object; a processor communicatively coupled to the camera toreceive the image and determine object information; a graphical userinterface (GUI) communicatively coupled to the processor to receiveprint parameters; and a display communicatively coupled to the processorto display an AR image of the object with the print parameters, whereinthe print parameters are modified in the AR image based on the objectinformation.
 2. The AR labeler of claim 1, wherein the objectinformation comprises dimensions of the object.
 3. The AR labeler ofclaim 1, wherein the object information comprises surface properties ofthe object.
 4. The AR labeler of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises athree dimensional camera.
 5. The AR labeler of claim 1, wherein theprint parameters comprise text and a location of the text on the objectselected in the AR image.
 6. The AR labeler of claim 1, furthercomprising: a communication interface to transmit the print parametersthat are modified to a printer.
 7. The AR labeler of claim 1, furthercomprising: a flash to provide light when the image of the object iscaptured in a low light environment.
 8. A non-transitory computerreadable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by aprocessor, the non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumcomprising: instructions to capture an image of an object; instructionsto identify object information of the object based on the image;instructions to receive label parameters; and instructions to display anaugmented reality (AR) image of the object with the label parameters,wherein the label parameters are modified in the AR image based on theobject information.
 9. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 8, further comprising: instructions to transmit thelabel parameters that are modified to a printer.
 10. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the objectinformation comprises a texture of a surface of the object.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein theobject information comprises a shape of the object.
 12. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein theimage comprises a live view of the object.
 13. A method, comprising:receiving, by a processor, data to be printed on an object, wherein thedata is received on a graphical user interface that displays anaugmented reality image of the object with the data; modifying, by theprocessor, the data based on object information of the object; anddisplay, by the processor, a label that includes the data that ismodified on the object within the augmented reality image.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising: transmitting, by the processor,the data that is modified to a printer to be printed onto the object.15. The method of claim 13, wherein the object information comprisesdimensions of the object and surface properties of the object obtainedbased on analysis of an image captured of the object.